Fifty years ago (I was 23 and living in Ocean Beach, CA) was the first Earth Day. Such a great gift to Earth. We finally started thinking about doing things in an earth friendly way, working to clean up and stop polluting. I am reminded that it was Nixon who created the EPA and signed a (bipartisan) Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act.
With the way things have gone with the current president (I refuse to use that a**hole’s name), we have gone backward. He says climate change is a hoax.
According to the news, on the eve of this year’s anniversary, POTUS directed his administration to work on a financial aid plan for the oil and gas industry, which has been hit hard by global shutdowns to address the pandemic.
WHAT? The oil and gas industry? Are you kidding me?
However, on the bright side, it looks like the pandemic is helping our Mother Earth. Have you seen all the glorious photos all around the globe showing less of the bad stuff and more of the good stuff? It’s amazing; at least for the moment.
We have our proof, folks.
Maybe when we can get back to a more normal way of living we will keep things in proper perspective. Let’s try. Let Earth win.
4-20-20 La Luna
Started out in the dark this morning and were treated to this beauty of a fingernail moon.
Sierra de La Laguna Mountains
We are grateful to have this quiet time every morning. It’s easy to forget we are in the middle of the virus storm, if only for an hour or so.
Soon these chile poblanos will make it to market. Not sure if they will go to California, but I know there will be chile rellenos in our future.
Chile Rellenos
I don’t fry mine in oil; instead I bake them. And I am not going to mess up my recipe with meat or shrimp. I like mine with cheese. The most time-consuming part is peeling off the skin. I used to use the stove top burner, but I started putting them in the oven at high heat 450 degrees F for about 20 minutes (turning a couple times) and then I put them in a plastic bag for 10 minutes. After they have been in the bag for 10 minutes, I dip them into an ice water bath. The skins come off easily and then I have to slice the pepper to reveal the seeds. I like to remove the seeds before stuffing with lots of cheese and onions. I bake them for about 10 minutes at 400 before I pour on the whipped egg white mixed with yolk (after whipping). I put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so and I dollop my home-made cooked salsa on top with some Greek yogurt or sour cream. Yummy. Complicated, time consuming and gone in a minute.
These fields are often sprayed, and we have to wash our chiles well.
Yesterday when I posted the photo of our house from the back I think it gave an impression that we have a huge house. We don’t really. It’s 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, outdoor dining and other outdoor decks for viewing and relaxing and exercising (if you are dedicated to that sort of activity).
North side of Casa Contenta
The south side of the house where you come in the gate.My art studio: Castillo de Colores, and the garage on the right.
So, we’re home from our walk and it’s time to make breakfast. Granola with fresh strawberries and blueberries and mangos and yogurt. We will accompany that with a protein smoothie. After that it’s time to go up to the deck and exercise. Yeah, life is good.
Oh, and remember to celebrate National Poetry Month. Write a poem or read a poem or do both.
Here’s one of mine:
The Dance
The wind is dancing on my deck.
Playful are the tables and chairs
for they join the dance.
A tapping, bouncing, sliding.
Surprise! The chair does a pirouette
before it tumbles to the ground.
It cannot right itself. Poor chair.
I venture onto the deck.
I'll save you, Chair!
My hair joins the dance. It
lifts and twirls and slaps my
face. I shiver in my socks.
Wind whips, and the clouds are
traveling at great speed.
Hurrying to bring more rain. (laughter)
Come on, Chair. Stand up.
There now. That's better.
The wind wants more dancers
for this prom. Leaves join in.
Hair and leaves and chairs
and tables and wind choose
partners. Wait! Rain has come
with its own joyful competitive
and playful spirit. Thunder now,
and lightning too. Let's dance!
Would somebody turn that music down?
Every morning we take our dog, isabela, on a walk. Usually we go across the street to the beach, but lately we have been venturing into the hills. It’s peaceful in the morning, and as we walk, pumping our legs up the hills, getting our heart rates up, and listening to the sounds of the birds and the ocean in the background, there is a peace that comes over us.
A dove lifts off his perch on a cardon.
The pandemic has changed everyone’s lives, and some of it is teaching us about ourselves and putting things into perspective. But some of it is just difficult. Taking a walk and being in the moment is healthy for us.
We have it so easy compared to most people. Our lives are not that different except that we are finding ourselves even more engaged with our community’s response to the pandemic. Mask making, donating more money to the food bank and to people who are providing cleaning supplies to those in need. And believe me, there are many in need here.
Today we focused on enjoying the morning with our dog. It seemed enough.
Cardon Bloom
The ocean has such an allure.
When the waves crash onto the rocks and send the spray up, it thrills me. I may be easy to please.
This is Isabela’s happy place. She grabs a stick and life is good.
We previously have not gone to this little beach, but tried it out yesterday and today. Such fun.
Walking home and seeing the house from the back side is so different now that the studio and the wall are there.
And if the walk wasn’t enough, we get home to these beauties.
Jayna, the teacher for the Bridge to English Class, placed the books on the tables and as the students began filtering in, they gravitated to the books. They were obviously engaged and excited. The energy in the room was palpable.
It was gratifying to see the books I had purchased for them being enjoyed. Their facial expressions and excited voices were like a paycheck for me. As a former middle and high school English teacher and elementary teacher, my heart was bursting with happiness watching them consume the books.
Soon it was time to get their attention and start the lesson. Jayna did a terrific job of imparting the main ideas and using the information I’d gathered for this purpose. Her enthusiasm was part of the reason I was over the moon with happiness about the lesson. She had a great lesson plan and delivered it with ease. The students were so excited and engaged. What teacher wouldn’t have been pleased?
Teach the kids to love the ocean and its animals, especially my favorite sea creature, the tortuga, and you will have a group of adults who protect the ocean environment and pass along their knowledge and love for it to their own children someday.
The medusa (jellyfish) is a favorite food of the sea turtle. They mistake plastic bags in the ocean for the jellyfish and consume them to their demise. Upon their death, there are no sea creatures examined that don’t have a lot of plastic in their stomachs. Micro plastics are some of the worst. Let’s do something about this. Together we can clean up the oceans.
The educational coloring book I made for these children was a big hit.
The little girl in green above (Mayra) got up and came to me with a big hug. She said, “Thank you, Susan.” Oh my! My heart melted. How sweet.
The coloring books are a great opportunity to get the students involved. I put them together as bilingual, as these children are learning English poco a poco (little by little), thanks to The Palapa Learning Center in Todos Santos.
I made a set of different educational books for the older kids and they will be using them in their classes soon. I can’t wait. Jayna and I talked about having the older kids work with the younger ones too. If you can teach about a subject, it means you understand and learned it yourself. What better way to practice your skills and share your knowledge?
I brought the olive ridley sea turtle carapace that I had found on the beach about a year ago. Each child took turns touching and examining it. They were excited to have it placed on their own backs and pretend they were a sea turtle. Their little necks fit the spot where the turtle head would have been.
While it was sad that someone had slaughtered the turtle and left the shell (carapace) on the beach, I was able to use it for a good cause. When the students were labeling the parts of the turtle in English and Spanish from the coloring book, I walked around and let them see close up the scutes on the carapace, making it more meaningful and most likely memorable for them.
At the end of the fun-packed lesson, each student was allowed to take their book home. An added bonus: the colored pencils too. Their eyes got so big with delight when they learned they got to take those things home. “Share them with your family,” Jayna told them. I hope they do.
Viva La Tortuga at The Palapa Learning Center in Todos Santos 2-20-20
Linda is a neighbor who generously and graciously hosts watercolor classes once a week during the “high season” here in my neighborhood in Pescadero. This talented woman is an excellent teacher too; with enthusiasm she guides her students and informs us about the particulars of the medium. You can see here work here: http://lcorbetgallery.com
Learning to paint is a long and difficult process, but it has been so rewarding and fun! I want to stress that fun part. Even though in the last few days I have done 3 paintings and thrown them away because they were awful, I enjoyed every moment of the experience. I’m learning. I’m pushing myself. It is fun!
I probably ought to have taken photos of my failures to show, but I threw them out before I could get out the camera. Oh well.
But of course I took photos of the ones I think turned out worthy of a photo. And I can share those. Maybe my ego stops me from putting out my awful paintings. Of course. It is something to think about though, and next time I might snap a shot, and if I have enough courage, I can show them.
Learning from one’s mistakes and failures is important. Those are the lessons that help one improve. The work is still fun, even when they don’t turn out well. All positive reasons to keep at it.
Here are the ones that didn’t get tossed in the waste basket:
This one I did from a photo I took from my upstair’s deck. The people across the street have those beautiful palms that add so much to the view.
A lot of what I attempt comes from my photos. The Baja is a beautiful place, and here where the desert meets the Pacific Ocean, the natural scenes fill my heart with gratitude and joy.
As I age, which seems to be happening at an alarming rate these days, I appreciate everything in my environment more than ever. Even though there are some not-so-wonderful things like pests–cockroaches live in my palm trees, and these tiny flying insects that are known locally as bo bos surround your face and sometimes you inhale them. They impede any kind of gardening work you might want to do. Mosquitos are buzzing that high pitch sound in your ears, sometimes while you are sleeping. But these last two insects are seasonal, not here all the time. Thank goodness. Dealing with them is a small price to pay to live in this magical place.
I’ll leave you with a few more photos of my attempts to paint the goodness that is Baja.
Another painting from a photo I took.
When I paint skulls, I use acrylic paints. I don’t usually have much of a plan, I just start and let the skull tell me what to do.
See the fish and the sea turtle?
My wish for you is that your life be as full of fun as mine.
When we moved here 9 years ago, I didn’t know much about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). I have come to learn what a special way it is to remember loved ones who have died. My mother passed at 103 on March 20, 2019, so this is my first altar for her. I can’t visit the Ft. Rosecrans Cemetery as it is in San Diego, but I can see it in my mind; so beautiful, overlooking the harbor.
Mom ate cottage cheese, yogurt, and fruit every day. Yes! EVERY DAY! And she made the best chocolate cookies, and she drank tea, so I put these things on her altar for her. Each item I placed on the altar has special meaning, and of course all the photos are necessary to honor and remember her. Many of the photos show her with family, and they were happy times.
She loved Perry Como, and all the music of her youth, but she came to appreciate a lot of what the family introduced her to: IZ (Hawaiian singer), Eddie Vedder playing the ukulele, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, and more. Music playing here today will make her smile.
People often ask me if I have enough to do, being retired and all. I have to laugh. I am so busy having fun I can hardly get my chores done. Between working on my educational project to teach local students about the sea turtle, painting (watercolor or acrylic) on cow skulls, paper, rocks, or anything that stands still, or taking short trips to see and immerse myself in the local environment, I have little time for anything else. It’s a blessing to have so many interesting things to do. I’m in an art group here in El Pescadero where I live, “Art Just Down the Road.” The women I paint with inspire and challenge and support each other. It’s fun. Retirement is fun.
Here’s a taste:
For my 73rd birthday party, I went with my husband and my niece on the trip of a lifetime with Paula of Explora Baja to the Sea of Cortez, Isla Espiritu Santo.A day in the warmest water seeing such natural sights makes me happy. Look really closely. Can you see the “map of Baja?”
The water, the rocks, the sea creatures are a kaleidoscope of colors. A feast for the eyes.
While one doesn’t get to do this every day, I get to do it often. Spoiled? I prefer to think I deserve it. After all I was a public school teacher for 20 years. I worked with 130 students a day when I taught high school in Washington State, grading papers on my “own time” and commuting from Whidbey Island to Mukilteo. Now I am enjoying my own time, at my own pace.
My niece, Stacey, in the foreground. She said she was thrilled to be in this place, and never imagined herself in water this color.This is inside a cave. Does it remind you of anything? BajajajajajajaFrom my bedroom deck. We make it our standing “date” to watch sunset every single night.
Art (or close to it)
Found this skull and waited a few years before I painted it.Took a photo in Cataviña (on the way up the Baja), and this is my watercolor rendition.Here is the photo.WatercolorWatercolorMy new interest is sea turtles and teaching the local students about them. I tried my hand at a watercolor.Photography is a passion of mine too.A roof tile I painted for my neighbors.The Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, MX. Two Taramuhara making baskets with the canyon in the background.We took the El Chepe Train to so many great places along the canyon. The Copper Canyon is actually a series of 6 canyons and bigger and deeper than the Grand Canyon.Did I mention the sunsets are fabulous?Did this watercolor in a class.
Got to get dinner ready. I’ve been having too much fun sharing my life of adventure and creations with you. Retirement is the best.
Life is good in El Pescadero and Todos Santos, but it can be better. It’s time to get out there in the community and help promote learning about the wondrous sea turtles that swim and nest here.
In Southern Baja California (Baja California Sur) we have many sea creatures that need protection. My goal is to provide the local educators with materials for their classrooms regarding the olive ridley and leatherback sea turtles (tortugas marinas) who come to our local beaches to nest.
I have seen the females laying their eggs and the hatchlings heading to the ocean. What a joy it is to witness! But human activity is responsible for the decline in population. For years people have been driving on the beaches here, which negatively impacts nests and the hatchlings. Light pollution causes problems for the females laying eggs and for the hatchlings that are drawn to the light instead of the ocean. Many governments have protections for sea turtles, but still, eggs are taken and nesting females are slaughtered for their meat and skin. Fishing nets also take a large toll, frequently snagging and drowning these turtles.
Teaching the students will inspire them to protect sea turtles (and other ocean animals) and encourage others in the community to do likewise.
I am putting together educational kits with materials for the students, some of which are consumables like informational coloring books. Other items in the kits will include books, videos, hands-on items, posters, etc. Most of these are either in Spanish, or in Spanish and English. I designed and purchased 100 stickers and 20 adult t-shirts for the teachers, and purchased many of the books already.
This is some of what I’m giving the schools. Ping pong balls are the size, shape, and color of sea turtle eggs. This bag holds 100, about the size of a normal clutch.
If you follow my blog you know how much I love the environment where I live. I have learned so much about the sea turtles and I want to help others to fall in love with them as I have.
This beauty came to my neighborhood beach to nest. I have a great camera to zoom in.
Female turtles go back to the beach where they were born to nest. They lay between 80 and 110 eggs in a clutch. Only one in a thousand will make it to maturity. The olive ridley won’t be mature for mating until she is 15 years old. Other species will have to make it to 35 years. Birds, dogs, people, and crabs are some of the predators that eat the eggs, turtles, and hatchlings. If a hatchling makes it to the ocean, other predators and unhappy circumstances await them. It’s a wonder any of them live to breed.
I got this photo of little ones working to make a run for the ocean.
The GoFundMe site helped me to raise money for my project, and my neighbors, Bill and Cathleen Small, have contributed many valuable items like a book binder and the initial purchase of many books, stickers, 20 T-shirts, and supplies. My husband doesn’t mind that I have spent our own money for this cause too, but I have now decided to do some local fundraising selling t-shirts, stickers, and reusable grocery bags. Thanks to the generous donations from my GoFundMe donors, I was able to purchase 100 adult t-shirts in various sizes and colors, and 200 more stickers, plus 200 reusable grocery bags to promote saving the environment from plastic. There is so much plastic in our oceans. Sea turtles eat jelly fish and the plastic bags in the water look like their favorite food. No Plastic! ¡Sin plástico!
Now I have to get busy and get out there with everything. The shirts and stickers will be ready for pick-up September 6th, but the grocery bags will take another week. The good news is that I was able to purchase everything locally in La Paz at Compusign, the tiny orange shop on De León.
The money I make from the sale of the items will go for more of the consumable items like the informational coloring books (using paper and ink…lots of it), crayons, and colored pencils for the schools, and for more posters and books. It is such a gratifying experience to work with the educators and the children. So far I have two schools on board. One is in El Pescadero and the other is The Palapa Learning Center in Todos Santos. If all goes well, I can grow this project to include more schools.
The Palapa Learning Center in Todos Santos
My goal: Teach the children about the sea turtle and they will grow into adults interested in protecting these creatures and their environment.
Although I met my goal of $1,000 with GoFundMe (I get to keep $966 and the rest is for the site), donations are always welcome. There will be on-going expenses to keep the schools in consumable supplies, and of course I want to expand to more schools. Want to donate and join me? https://www.gofundme.com/f/viva-la-tortuga
What robs you of appreciation, adventure, and the thrill of doing the possible? Pessimism, that’s what. It means you miss life’s joyful moments.
After all, the cow jumped over the moon.
You aren’t as big and bulky as a cow. If a cow can jump, so can you. You’ve been jumping all your life. (Unless you were worrying about how jumping might cause you to fall on your face.) Sometimes you just need to trust that everything will work together for good.
And while you are doing your jumping jacks through life, stop focusing on the negative things that could be looming in the future. Trust yourself. See how you can break your record, not your bones. And if you do fall? (We all fall occasionally.) If you don’t quite make it the way you wanted? Just get up. Start all over again. Fall down; get up.
What did you learn about getting up? Cherish that lesson. Not the one about if I hadn’t been jumping I never would have fallen.)
I’m not advocating that we all become what some call a Pollyanna, like the heroine in the story that ALWAYS finds ONLY good in everything. I’m going to stop short of recommending irrepressible optimism.
There are plenty of things I find hard to accept. Most of them have something to do with bad things happening to good people. Bad things do happen to people who don’t deserve it. But I don’t play, “What if?” Good people die young. People get cancer. Fuck cancer.
None of this means our outlook must include the expectation that bad things are going to happen. No. No. No. I’m sure someone, somewhere, has done a study on how thinking and visualizing what good can come invites more of just that: Good!
I am remembering what I read about how Olympic athletes are trained to see themselves doing it right. It seems to work for a lot of them. Think about that.
A lot is being said these days about mindfulness and living in the moment. According to what came from a Google search for mindfulness, it is “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”
I guess it’s not that intuitive, and yet it can be practiced and therefore learned. I’ve always been one who likes to just “let the day happen” to me. I’m a lover of spontaneity. Plans sometimes need to be made, of course, but as a retiree I have the luxury of letting things happen.
I’ve practiced patience, problem solving, forgiveness, and critical thinking a lot in my life, but this mindfulness business is different. I like to think of it as just allowing myself to be. I say, “Go ahead, Universe. Sock it to me. Not too hard though; please be gentle.” I may not be fragile, but I don’t like to hurt.
Lately I’ve been attempting to accept the death of my mother each day, each moment as it comes to me and I realize she is gone from this life.
Each morning I rise to greet a new day. A day with the knowledge that my mother is no longer taking breaths. My heart aches, but it is also happy. Happy knowing that Mom got her wish and her prayers were answered. She was past ready to make this transition from life to whatever death may mean. “Please God, take me. I’m ready.” She used to cry out at night pleading with her god to let her die. “I want to die.”
How realistic is it to think that someone of her advanced age, 103, would want to go on living? She felt her job was done and her body was done and it was time. She felt that way for years, and yet her heart continued to be strong, though the rest of her body had seemingly given up.
Suffering with dementia, she had diminished cognitive abilities, and yet sometimes she’d have just the right answer to a question. When we’d read to her, she often made all the expected and appropriate responses to the story or article, laughing or making other sounds of comprehension.
The stories would float away almost immediately. You could read the same story over and over to her, as you would a child who likes the same story to be read again and again. Only in Mom’s case the story would seem new.
Dementia gives real meaning to living in the moment, as all the other moments simply fade away. It’s not purposeful mindfulness, but it definitely hits the core of it.
In this moment then, I’m off to focus and enjoy my own “now.” Hope you enjoy yours too.
May this holiday season be free of strife and full of love and happiness for all. Blessings abound and as this year ends we are reminded of how much we have for which to be thankful.
